toxophilite

[tok-sof-uh-lahyt]

noun

1. a devotee of archery; archer.

toxophilite

/ tɒkˈsɒfɪˌlaɪt /

noun

1. an archer

adjective

1. of or relating to archery

Other Word Forms

• toxophilitic adjective
• toxophily noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of toxophilite¹

1785–95; Toxophil ( us ) bow-lover (coined by Roger Ascham in his 1545 book so entitled < Greek tóxo ( n ) bow + -philos -phile ) + -ite ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of toxophilite¹

C18: from Toxophilus, the title of a book (1545) by Ascham, designed to mean: a lover of the bow, from Greek toxon bow + philos loving

Example Sentences

It is the ancestor of some rather jokey English words including "toxophilite" meaning archer - and the main element in a host of words in Greek covering almost every aspect of bowmanship.

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Toxophilite, tok-sof′i-līt, n. a lover of archery: an archer.—adj.

Read more on Project Gutenberg

Many a toxophilite gathered last week at the Westchester-Biltmore Country Club, Rye, N. Y., saw arrows shot into the air, but knew they landed and where, for the occasion was the championship tournament of the National Archery Association.

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Into the gold bull's-eye of the 48-in. target at Canandaigua last week the arrows loosed by a lanky toxophilite from Coldwater, Mich., thumped most consistently.

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Mrs. Cummings became a toxophilite at the age of nine; now in her late 20's, she shoots with placid abandon from an orthodox position with her heels at right angles to a line drawn from the gold.

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